Good morning All! Does anyone know anything, or ever run across anything, of the FISHER family of Chorlton cum Medlock and/or Ashton under Lyne? I've been trying to get over this wall for about twenty years... Now trying the "shotgun" approach. On Great-grandfather's enlistment papers he gives his age as 17 and his birthplace as "Ousden" or "Housden", Suffolk. I wish I could have known the old fellow. He had a diabolical sense of humour. Every time the census-taker came around, he gave them different information! I can see him chuckling to himself as the worker walked away, completely unsuspecting! He later gave his birthplace as Newmarket, Camb.! He also later changed the place and date of his marriage. I know this because I've got a copy of their marriage certificate. Anything to confuse the census taker! In those days they were actively hostile towards the census-takers, (Not like us today!). In the 1881 census they're shown as living at: 8 Union Street, Chorlton on Medlock, Manchester. (RG11/3923) John Fisher H M 42 Riding Master Suffolk Newmarket Ann Fisher W M 32 Ashton Under Lyne Maiden name OWEN John William S 9 Fethard Cty Tipperary Ireland Elizabeth Ann D 7 Newbridge Cty Galway Ireland Maud Mary D 3 Edinburgh Scotland Kate D 12 months Edinburgh Scotland My Great-aunt Flossie, whom I loved dearly, was born around 1882 in Chorlton. To explain the widely spread out birthplaces, John was a sergeant in the 6th Inniskillen Dragoons and moved to these various places as his regiment was moved. have a wonderful painting of the Inniskillen Dragoons in their full dress, "Moving the families and Invalids to the new station"., with the families and invalids riding in horse-drawn covered wagons. Kate was my grandmother. She and her sister Flossie emmigrated to Canada after the 1st World War. They were both shattered by the death of their brother John and wanted to get away from the wars of Europe. John William was my Great Uncle and I was named after him. He was killed in the Battle of the Somme, 87 years ago last month. I've never been able to find a record of his marriage, but he was 45 years old when he was killed so the odds are that he would have been married and had a family. I've never been able to find any record of their sister's marriages so I've no idea of even what names to look for. Grandmother Kate, (Kitty), married a Mr. Wrightson in 1911. He didn't move to Canada with the sisters. (There must be a story there!) My Father, Kate's son, was born in 1900 when she was still single, employed as a "domestic servant" in a private home. (There must be a story there!!!) (Those Victorians were a scandalous bunch, in a quiet sort of way.) I've probably got dozens of cousins running around the Manchester area... But I can't find them. Any assistance would be gratefully appreciated. Thanks for reading all this. John Fisher